A tragic incident occurred in West Michigan when an SUV crashed into an Amish buggy last Friday night. The collision left six people hospitalized, with a spectrum of injuries ranging from critical to non-obvious, according to WWJ Newsradio. The Van Buren County Sheriff's Office reported that the incident took place in Bloomingdale Township on County Road 388 near 45th Street, around 7:45 p.m.
The driver of the SUV, believed to have been under the influence of alcohol, was arrested for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) Causing Serious Injury. As per the Van Buren County Sheriff's Office, "The driver of the SUV remained on scene and was cooperative with Deputies during the investigation." Released without the ages or genders of the victims, nor how they knew each other, no further information was immediately put forth. First responders administered life-saving measures on-site before transporting all individuals involved to regional hospitals.
In a social media update from the Van Buren County Michigan Sheriff's Office, Sheriff Daniel E. Abbott informed that the SUV rear-ended the westbound buggy, with speed and alcohol both appearing to be contributing factors in the incident. The post detailed that deputies and multiple ambulances responded to the scene, where five buggy occupants presented with obvious injuries, and one was in critical condition. The involvement of several local agencies, including the Bloomingdale and Columbia fire departments and emergency medical services (EMS), was commended for their rapid response. Road conditions on County Road 388 were impacted for about four hours during the investigation but have resumed to normal operations.
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